Corsairs, LEC Participate in NCAA Division III Week

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Apr 12, 2012

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA-The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is joining other members of the Little East Conference in participating in the inaugural NCAA Division III Week. Division III Week officially runs from April 9th through the 15th, and the LEC has scheduled a conference-wide celebration this Saturday, April 14th.

Division III Week is an opportunity for everyone associated with an NCAA Division III institution to observe and celebrate the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community.

The baseball doubleheader between UMass Dartmouth and UMass Boston on Saturday will be one of the LEC's Division III Games of the Week. The program will also include Rhode Island College's doubleheader at Keene State, Western Connecticut's softball twin bill at KSC, Plymouth State's men's lacrosse match at Eastern Connecticut and women's lacrosse matches between PSU and ECSU and Western Connecticut and Southern Maine. Special public service announcements will be made at all of those events.

UMass Dartmouth Director of Athletics Ian Day was pleased to see the Corsairs participate. "It's important to celebrate who we are, and recognize what we stand for," said Day.

Division III Week is part of Division III's Identity Initiative, which was introduced in 2010 to sharpen the division's uniqueness and to enable schools and conferences to consistently explain why they prefer to compete in NCAA Division III. The initiative has been guided by a strategic-positioning platform, describing Division III as a place where student-athletes can follow their passions and develop their potential, within an approach that combines rigorous academics, competitive sports and an opportunity to pursue other interests.

The NCAA national office also will be focusing attention on the Special Olympics partnership during the week. Division III will donate $1 to Special Olympics for every new "Like" between April 9 and 15 on the Division's Facebook page, in addition to planned events for staff members to celebrate the week in Indianapolis.